By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Games and Amusements Board chairman Eric Buhain presided over a meeting of the GAB board Tuesday at which a total of P50,000 ($1,250) was approved for the family of the late Alex Aroy, a boxer managed by Rex “Wakee” Salud.
Aroy who had complained of severe abdominal pains in the morning and according to Salud was convinced by his girlfriend to go to church and light a candle and pray and reportedly cried in church, died en route to hospital more than one hour after his ten round unanimous decision loss to Arnel Tadena in Villaba, Leyte.
Aroy suffered severe abdominal pains some one hour after the fight and complained he was unable to urinate or defecate and was rushed to the District Hospital in Villaba after he collapsed. He was accompanied by trainer Willy Flores who was advised to transfer Aroy to a larger hospital with better facilities but died on the way.
GAB boxing division chief Dr. Nasser Cruz said the best way to determine the cause of death would have been to conduct an autopsy but Aroy’s father Nemesio “Benny” Aroy who was also a boxer in his time declined to give his consent which was a requirement.
Questions are now being raised as to why Aroy’s handlers allowed him to fight if he had suffered severe abdominal pain in the morning of the bout.
Buhain initially released P 10,000 ($250) through Maasin City Mayor Maloney Samaco since Aroy was from Maasin and informed him as well as Salud last Saturday night that he needed board approval under the law to release a bigger amount.
Filipino ring idol Manny Pacquiao also pledged to donate P50,000 or $1,250 to the late boxer's family.
However, despite being told of the regulations Salud was quoted as saying that the P10,000 donation was “really unfair” since Lito Sisnorio who was sneaked out of the country and died in Thailand after a mismatch against former world champion Chatchai Sasakul in March 2007 in a fight that was not sanctioned by the GAB was given a P100,000 donation.